Lab results - looking for opinions [PLEASE READ 1ST POST]

It would be wise to measure 24-hour urine output over several consecutive days or through multiple sessions. During this process, one should track total fluid intake, log the exact timing of each void, and note the volume per instance. From there, you can calculate the specific breakdown of daily versus nocturnal output. Only then could any meaningful conclusion be drawn.

Maria Fisher46 said:I mean, why would someone even bother getting a stool analysis done in the first place?

So, the dermatologist is kind of suspecting that Candida might be the thing triggering this hives situation.

It’s been popping up every now and then for a few years now. Usually happens in the evening, sometimes every single day, though other times I go a couple of days without anything or it’s super mild. It rarely actually wakes me up at night, like maybe some general itching on my legs or upper arms. I don't have any other symptoms, really. I can just say that I quit smoking, started taking multivitamins and folic acid (my doctor's recommendation), and I don't feel exhausted anymore—that heavy head feeling where it feels like someone finally "opened the blinds" is gone. They'll probably want to check my thyroid hormones again. As far as I know, there hasn't been any eosinophilia so far. I just remember some notes about my CBC Panel regarding hypochromia and microcytosis, and when I had infections, my WBC showed slight neutrophilia.

Hey everyone, quick question—is an iron level of 9 way too low? My other numbers like UIBC, TIBC, ferritin, plus my RBC, hemoglobin, MCV, and MCHC are all sitting right within the normal range. Also, does it mess with the iron reading if I didn't get my blood drawn first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and instead did it in the afternoon?

Hi, I have a quick question. I'm wondering if these specific deviations from the normal range actually mean anything.
CBC Panel
Segmented neutrophils up by 4
Lymphocytes down by 3.5

I'm currently 35 weeks pregnant and Rh negative

Thanks so much for understanding

I had a cervical swab done to check for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

The microbiology report came back saying: some bacteria, rare leukocytes. Physiological flora.

The nurse told me the results look fine. Still, I’m curious about what they mean by "some bacteria"—like, what kind of bacteria are we talking about here? 🤷
And if anyone could explain why there would be leukocytes mentioned in a report like this?

Thanks!

Indianapolis, Gastroscopy:

"Using the endoscope, we entered the postbulbar segment of the duodenum, which appears normal, just like the bulb itself. The gastric mucosa shows coarser folds. The cardia and esophagus appear normal."

What exactly does "coarser folds" mean? Should I be worried? This report is from last month—I actually stumbled upon it by accident while digging through some old files... To be honest, I haven't dealt with gastritis in quite a while, maybe five years now? Any insight? 🤦

p.s. I'm 22 years old.

rapidnomad322 said:Dermatologists suspect Candida might be causing the hives.

It’s a slippery slope, if you ask me. Fungi frequently colonize the digestive tract, which means finding yeast in a stool sample doesn't tell you much—tons of people have it. The real question is what we are actually treating in these scenarios. Furthermore, scientific literature isn't exactly unanimous regarding a link between this fungus and chronic hives; in fact, some recent studies suggest there isn't one at all. Even so, dermatology protocols still routinely insist on testing for Candida. Generally, treatment is only considered justified in cases of massive infection.

Chloe Ruiz2 said:The hives have been popping up for a couple of years now, mostly in the evenings. Sometimes they happen daily, other times they vanish for a few days or stay quite mild. It’s rare, but I’ll occasionally wake up at night from intense itching in my legs or upper arms. No other symptoms. I can say that since I quit smoking and started taking multivitamins and folic acid (per my doctor's advice), I don't feel exhausted anymore. That heavy-headed feeling—like someone "pulled the blinds down" on me—is gone. They’ll probably check my thyroid hormones again. As far as I know, there hasn't been any eosinophilia. I just remember some notes about my blood work: hypochromia and microcytosis, and a slight neutrophilia during infections.

Based on everything you've described, you likely have chronic urticaria. With chronic hives, we look at idiopathic causes (unknown origin), autoimmune triggers (which can be linked to conditions like thyroid issues, often supported by positive antibodies), or vasculitis. In the case of vasculitis, skin changes typically last longer than 24 hours and are accompanied by systemic symptoms like general weakness, joint pain, or fever. While I can't say for certain without an exam, it doesn't sound like you're dealing with that specific form.

Regardless, the baseline medication for hives is antihistamines, not corticosteroids.

Chloe Garcia10 said:Hello, is an iron level of 9 too low? My UIBC, TIBC, ferritin, erythrocytes, hemoglobin, MCV, and MCHC are all within the normal range. Does it matter that the blood wasn't drawn in the morning while fasting, but rather in the afternoon?

Iron levels weren't checked in the morning and you weren't fasting? In that case, unfortunately, the result isn't particularly useful. And if they only tested iron without the other parameters, one has to wonder why it was even ordered—what exactly did the doctor expect to find?

redpuma64 said:Hi, I have a question. I'm wondering if these deviations from the normal values mean the same thing.
CBC Panel
Segmented neutrophils elevated by 4
Lymphocytes decreased by 3.5

Otherwise, I am 35 weeks pregnant and Rh factor is negative

Thanks so much for understanding

Ma'am, you need to provide at least the full CBC and differential results if you want any kind of feedback. Commenting on isolated values like this is impossible. You also need to state why the test was performed—are you experiencing symptoms, or was this just a routine prenatal checkup? With only these numbers, there is no way to provide an answer.

crimsonfox26 said:A cervical swab was performed for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

The microbiology report shows: some bacteria, rare leukocytes. Physiological flora.

The nurse told me the results were fine. Still, I’m wondering what "some bacteria" actually implies—what kind of bacteria? 🤷
And can someone explain why leukocytes are mentioned in this result at all?

Thanks!

Ma'am, in the context of "physiological flora," "some bacteria" simply means the swab detected a small amount of bacteria that naturally inhabit the vaginal area and can also be found on the cervix. Usually, these are bacteria from the Lactobacillus genus, with smaller amounts from other genera (like Bacteroides).

An elevated number of leukocytes would indicate inflammation or an infection.

The main takeaway here is that the results are normal.

Maria Fisher46 said:Look, when a lab report mentions "some bacteria" in the context of "physiological flora," it basically means they picked up a few microbes in the swab that are actually just part of the normal ecosystem living in the vaginal tract, sometimes extending to the cervix. Usually, we're talking about species from the Lactobacillus genus, though you might see smaller amounts of others, like Bacteroides.

Having an elevated white blood cell count is generally a sign that there’s some sort of inflammation or infection going on.

That said, the main takeaway here is that the results are within the normal range, which is what really matters.

Thanks for clearing that up!

Maria Fisher46 said:They didn't check your iron levels in the morning while you were fasting? If that's the case, then honestly, those results are pretty much useless. And if they just checked iron alone without looking at any other markers, you have to wonder why they even bothered testing it in the first place—what exactly was the doctor hoping to find with such a narrow scope?

Later on, she sent me over for UIBC and TIBC and ferritin, and all of those came back within the normal range.

Can I get your take on how reliable tumor markers like CEA and CA 19-9 are (since mine are fine), along with a negative occult blood test? What are the actual odds that colon cancer could still be lurking even when all these numbers look perfectly normal?

Best,

What does anyone actually know about having a "heavy stomach"? 😢

I really gotta give a huge thanks to Felix for putting in the work and clearing things up for me. It’s definitely Hashimoto. Confirmed.

Hey everyone! If anyone can help me out, I’d be seriously grateful... I've been deep-diving on Google for an hour and a half now and haven't found anything concrete.
My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2006, and then again in 2009. After all the struggles and trying different medications... her latest tests were actually looking good. The only thing is, she's dealing with this constant bone pain... so she went in for a bone scan.

The results say: Pathological uptake of the radiopharmaceutical is visible in the anterior portion of the 6th left rib, with a lower intensity uptake seen in the third of the right femur. Also, pathological uptake is noted in the ethmoid projection paramedial to the left maxilla, as well as in the right shoulder and both trochanters (more pronounced on the left), which is most likely degenerative in nature.

I'm really hoping someone can help me make sense of these results, because both my mom and I are going to lose our minds waiting until Thursday when she heads into Chicago for her appointment...😵
Thanks...

I am looking for some help interpreting the blood work for my 6-month-old, who has been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis. Does an elevated eosinophil count indicate a food allergy?

Here are the CBC results:

Neutrophils 24.5 (23-66)
Eosinophils 15.2 (0.6)
Basophils 0.6 (0-2)
Lymphocytes 51.4 (18-60)
Monocytes 8.3 (5-13)
Neutrophils 3 (2.50-7.20)
Eosinophils 1.8 (0-0.70)
Basophils 0.10 (0-0.20)

(K) WBC 12.1
(K) RBC 4.73
(K) Hemoglobin 120
(K) Hematocrit 0.368
(K) MCV 77.7
(K) MCH 25.4
(K) MCHC 326
(K) RDW 11.3
(K) Platelets 481
(K) MPV 9.3

If anyone could assist, I would be very grateful. Is all of this normal for a 6-month-old baby? The platelets are also high, and the RDW is low.

I received these lab results today. My doctor says everything looks fine, though some of the details seem a bit suspicious to me... I'm 26 years old, and about four years ago, I picked up an infection at the hospital—an open fracture in my hand that I had to treat with antibiotics later on (perhaps there's a connection here, though I can't be sure). I'm not expecting any miracles, but I would truly appreciate hearing from anyone who understands this sort of thing. My white blood cell count is elevated, and my neutrophils are low. About a week before the blood draw, I dealt with a viral infection, and my FIBRA was 39.2... since then, I just haven't been feeling quite right, mostly just a general sense of fatigue and such. Oh, and in the two months leading up to this, I caught a sore throat twice, along with that nasty, slimy green congestion that seems to linger for about ten days...🙂

result reference range
white blood cells 10.3 H 3.4-9.7
red blood cells 5.3 4.34-5.72
hemoglobin 157 138-175
Hematocrit 0.46 0.415-0.530
MCV 86 83-97.2
MCH 29 27.4-33.9
MCHC 341 320-345
RDW 12.5 9.0-15.0
platelets 229 158-424
neutrophils 41.9 L 45.0-72.0
lymphocytes 44.4 19.0-45.0
monocytes 6.8 3.0-10.0
eosinophils 6.0 0.0-7.0
basophils 0.9 0.0-1.0

sedimentation 2 2-13

glucose 4.4 4.1-5.9
enzymes
AST 25 0-38
ALT 21 0-48
GGT 26 0-55

Iron 14.6 11-32
UIBC 42.5 25-54
TIBC 57.1 49-72

By the way, I've been looking back at my older records from a year or two ago... my white blood cell counts have always been fine, while my neutrophils were within the reference range, but always hovering near the lower limit. So, the question really is: why are my white blood cells high, while my neutrophils are low?
Thanks for any insight 🙂

Those reference values came back a bit confusingly last time, so I thought I would post them again... just to be clear.

Result (Ref. Range)
White Blood Cells 10.3 H (3.4-9.7)
Red Blood Cells 5.3 (4.34-5.72)
Hemoglobin 157 (138-175
Hematocrit 0.46 (0.415-0.530)
MCV 86 (83-97.2)
MCH 29 (27.4-33.9)
MCHC 341 (320-345)
RDW 12.5 (9.0-15.0)
Platelets 229 (158-424)
Neutrophils 41.9 L ( 45.0-72.0)
Lymphocytes 44.4 (19.0-45.0)
Monocytes 6.8 (3.0-10.0)
Eosinophils 6.0 (0.0-7.0)
Basophils 0.9 (0.0-1.0)

Sed Rate 2 ( 2-13)

Glucose 4.4 (4.1-5.9)
Enzymes
AST 25 ( 0-38)
ALT 21 ( 0-48)
GGT 26 ( 0-55)

Iron 14.6 (11-32)
UIBC 42.5 ( 25-54)
TIBC 57.1 ( 49-72)

Hi everyone!
I'm 26, and I've been dealing with intense anxiety for a few months now because of some symptoms I'm experiencing.
Back in April, I noticed a soft lump under my armpit and on the same side of my neck. An Abdominal Ultrasound didn't show anything unusual—there was a slightly swollen lymph node on my neck about 7mm, but the doctor just mentioned it in passing. Around that same time, I started having body aches where my lymph nodes are located, along with night sweats. The sweating has let up, and while the lumps are still there, the pain has stopped. Then, about four months ago in July, I felt a depression in my right forearm, noticed the muscle near my thumb looked smaller, and a few days later, I started seeing muscle twitching. Of course, after typing that into (that dreaded) Google, ALS popped up immediately. Since then, I've been incredibly unsettled, bouncing between hospitals and private clinics for tests.
I first went in for an emng about 10 days after feeling that indentation.
emng
emng
Just the day before yesterday, I saw Dr. Marija Šoštarko, who gave me a thorough exam and performed an emng on both my arms and legs. This follow-up exam and emng happened four months after my very first checkup.
emng 2
emng 2
emng 2
The doctor reassured me that my issue isn't ALS at all.

When I feel those indentations, I notice that the skin feels somewhat atrophied in those spots, and there are small, hard lumps nearby. That hasn't happened before... Does anyone have any idea what else this could be, if it's not neurological?
Sorry for the long post—I know people might think I'm just being dramatic or a hypochondriac, but these symptoms are honestly bothering me 24/7, and I haven't received a diagnosis yet... (p.s. I'm even noticing tiny grooves forming on my tongue)
Help! This constant uncertainty is driving me crazy.

Chloe Garcia10 said:She later sent me for UIBC and TIBC and ferritin, all within the normal range.

Then the matter is settled.

Could I get your opinion on the reliability of tumor markers CEA and CA 19-9 (with okay values) and a negative occult blood test? What are the chances that colon cancer exists despite normal results?

Best,

Neither a normal marker value nor a normal occult blood test can rule out colon cancer. If there’s an indication, a colonoscopy is necessary.

To be honest, I don't know what the exact percentage of probability is, nor if such data even exists—meaning, if anyone has actually conducted studies and calculations on this specific correlation.

Chloe Ruiz2 said:I have to thank Felix for the effort and the clarification. It really is Hashimoto. Confirmed.

You likely have autoimmune urticaria as a bonus, but you should still go through a full workup with an immunologist.